10 luxury hotels for sale across Scotland

GARETH MACKIE

Fancy owning a Highland hotel once frequented by Charlie Chaplin, or a supposedly haunted castle near John O’Groats? If you have a spare £4 million or more, they could be yours.

ACKERGILL TOWER, WICK

The 15th century Ackergill Tower is said to be haunted. Picture: TSPL

This 15th century castle, said to be haunted by a ghost in a red ball gown, has been put on the market through Colliers International with a price tag in excess of £4.5m. The A-listed venue, which has 17 bedrooms and a range of converted outbuildings within 30 acres of land, has been a retreat for celebrities including Sir Richard Branson and Billy Connolly, and last year hosted the stars of reality television show The Only Way is Essex. Colliers says that Ackergill Tower, overlooking a sandy beach, could operate as a traditional country house hotel, an exclusive wedding or party venue or as a conference venue.

NEWTON HOTEL, NAIRN

Colliers International is also marketing this 63-bed mansion house, function and conference hotel, which sits in 21 acres of land, for £4m plus VAT. The original Scots Baronial property dates back to about 1870 and silent movie star Charlie Chaplin spent many a summer there with his family. The Newton Hotel is currently owned by a London-based investment and property company, which acquired it in 2005 but has decided to sell amid a “consolidation” of its property portfolio. With easy access to Inverness, visitors will also be able to take advantage of nearby beaches and golf courses, as well as fishing, sailing and shooting.

ARDLUI RETREAT, LOCH LOMOND

This lochside retreat, set in two acres of land and boasting a four-bedroom luxury lodge, four further individual lodges, a private beach and a complimentary mooring, is on the market with a price tag of more than £2.5m. Cornerstone Business Agents says the site offers a “unique business or residential opportunity” expected to generate interest from home and abroad as it is one of only a half a dozen shore-front residential properties on Loch Lomond, a key destination for activities including walking, cycling, golf and watersports. The main hunting lodge sleeps ten, while the four Scandinavian-style lodges sleep six each.

LODGE ON THE LOCH OF ABOYNE, ABERDEENSHIRE

Situated in the heart of Royal Deeside between Aberdeen and Braemar, this spa and golf venue has been put on the market by husband and wife team Derek and Jean McCulloch, who are planning to retire. From “small beginnings” in 1999, the lodge has grown, on 35 acres of farming land, into a retreat boasting views over the loch and Cairngorms National Park. Along with 14 guest bedrooms, the lodge has a range of conference and banqueting facilities for up to 170 guests, as well as leisure facilities including outdoor hot tub, steam bath, plunge pool, treatment rooms and fitness equipment. Bruce & Co is inviting offers in the region of £2.4m.

KINNETTLES CASTLE, FORFAR

Believed to have been built in 1867 for a local merchant, this is another Scots Baronial venue, with a central tower modelled on the much older Ackergill Tower. It can accommodate 18 people in nine suites in the castle, with a further two bedrooms in the gate lodge, and is close to the main A90 road from Aberdeen to Dundee. Set in 44 acres of land, the refurbished Kinnettles Castle can cater for weddings and larger functions – either within its dining room or using marquees in the grounds. It also features a billiards room that can be converted into a facility for corporate events. Colliers International has set a guide price of £1.9m.

SELKIRK ARMS, KIRKCUDBRIGHT

Dating back to 1777, this 16-bedroom hotel is reputed to have had Robert Burns as a lodger on several occasions around 1794. The current owners, who acquired it in 2007, are now inviting offers around £1.5m through Colliers International, which describes the High Street property as a “really good, successful and profitable hotel”. The coastal town of Kirkcudbright has a marina claimed to be one of the safest anchorages on the north Solway coast, while other activities in the area include walking, cycling, golf and fishing.

CASTLE VENLAW HOTEL, PEEBLES

Having served as a hospital during the First World War, this commanding castle in the Scottish Borders has operated as a hotel since 1949. The original house was built in 1782 by Alexander Stevenson, Sheriff Deputy of Peebleshire, and – following a number of extensions – now has 13 en-suite rooms and an owners’ apartment in the basement. Bruce & Co is seeking offers in the region of £875,000 for the property, which nestles in 12 acres of woodland just 22 miles south of Edinburgh. It has two restaurants and a bar in the castle’s turret where guests can relax after a hard day’s sightseeing or golfing.

KINTAIL LODGE HOTEL, GLENSHIEL

This former hunting lodge on the shores of Loch Duich in Ross-shire is just six miles from the 13th century Eilean Donan Castle and is on the market through CCL Property with a price tag of about £850,000. That would buy a 12-bedroom hotel that has been extended and upgraded over the years, along with a “wee bunkhouse” and trekkers’ lodge that can each accommodate six people. CCL says the hotel has become a popular stopping point for tourists and walkers looking to savour the breath-taking scenery of the western Highlands, and there is a “huge potential” for a buyer to get involved with kayaking and other water sports thanks to the proximity of Loch Duich.

CRAIGARD HOUSE HOTEL, CAMPBELTOWN

Built for local whisky distiller William McKersie in 1882, who was competing with his brother to create the “finest house in Campbeltown”, this 13-bedroom Italianate-style hotel has panoramic views across Campbeltown Loch. The reception area details the property’s past as maternity home between 1942 and 1973, and the owners say that more than 1,000 “babies” have signed in since they opened it as a hotel in 1997. CCL Property is seeking offers in excess of £800,000 for the Grade B-listed venue, which generates a turnover of about £300,000.

SALEN HOTEL, ARDNAMURCHAN

Sitting at the head of the Ardnamurchan peninsula, this family-run Victorian property describes itself as a traditional Highland hotel. It is on the market through the Scottish Business Centre (price on application), which says the “highly impressive and fully refurbished” venue is being offered for sale after 11 years of ownership and generates adjusted net profits approaching six figures. The hotel itself has five bedrooms, a bar and dining room, while a recently built self-catering cottage next door sleeps up to four people and offers views over Loch Sunart.